Adjustable curtain rod



ugkzz 1950 R. BLAKE ADJUSTABLE CURTAIN Ron Filed Feb. 9, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

e N MW [om www ./b./. Q 0N Patented Aug. 22, 1950 UNITED STATES FAT-ENT OFFICE] Application February 9,

21Claims. l

This invention relates to improvements in adjustable rods and more particularly to improvements in adjustable rods adapted to the support of window curtains and the like.

Highly variable Window 'dimensions in buildings has long made an adjustable curtain support a necessity but the adjustable supports available at present are relatively fragile by virtue of the adjustable means and require brackets for attaching the rod to the top of the window.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide an adjustable curtain rod of substantial rigidity.

A further object is to provide a Vcurtain rod that isy minutely adjustable over relatively wide limits.

Still another object is to provide an adjustable curtain rod capable of being supported by the adjusting means.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following specication.

In the accomplishment of these objectives, the adjustable curtain rod is formed of a hollow cylindrical body portion having a broadly adjustable member in one end and a minutely adjustable spring tension member in the other end. By making the adjustable curtain rod of suficient overall minimum length to fit the narra-west of a selected series of windows of varying width, the broadly adjustable member is designed to be withdrawn rfrom the rod until the overall `length is slightly greater than that of the selected window. Then, by inserting the end of the broadly adjustable member against one of the uprights of the window frame, the curtain rod is rotated upwardly against the other upright member. which forces the minutely adjustable spring :member within the hollow cylindrical body portion under suflicent tension to maintain the curtain rod hori- Zontal under the weight of the curtain. By the use of components designed for rigidity, the adjustable curtain rod has been found to be capable of supporting a curtain of relatively heavy weight without distortion. Held in place by the minutely adjustable spring tension member, .no brackets for supporting the rod are 'required readily adapting the same for use around 1948, Serial No. 7,041

2 masonry and materially decreasing "the usual Work involved in removing and hanging curtains.

The invention will appear more clearlyfrom the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing showing Vby wayrof examplea preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan View of the'adjustable curtain rod constructed in accordance Witlrthe principles of this invention.`

Figure 2 is a sectional View along the. line.2-`2 of Figure 1, enlarged..

Figure 3 is' a sectional view along the line 3;' 3 of Figure 1, also enlarged.

Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line .Ald of Figure 2, further enlarged.

Figure 5 is a sectional View along the line 5"-5 of Figure 3, likewise enlarged.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings in which like reference numerals indicate A.like parts, reference numeral l0 (Fig..1) indicates the adjustable curtain rod, Il the hollow cylindrical body portion, l2 (Fig. 2) the .broadly adu justable member; and 'I3 (Fig. 3) the minutely adjustable spring tension member.

The hollow cylindrical body portion li may be formed of any` suitable material with an inside diameter suflicient for insertion of the subN sequently described concentric rod `l (Figs. 2 and 3) as Well as the broadly adjustable member I 2 and the minutely adjustable spring tension member I3. The outside Vdiameter of the hollow cylindrical body portion Il will vary with the span and the load to be supported.

The concentric rod I4 is non-rotatably inserted Within the hollow cylindrical body portion il in such a manner yas to leave a space between the ends thereof and the ends or" the hollow cylindri cal body portion Il for insertion of the later described broadly adjustable member l2 and the minutely adjustable spring tension member vi3 as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

One end Ida of the concentric rod I4 is of reduced diameter having along the top and bottom surface portions thereof the spaced notches l5, 15a, |51), 50, ld, and |55. While the notches are shown in spaced and opposed relationship along the top and bottom surface portions. Il' of the end Ma with undisturbed surface portions 'of the end I4a therebetween, notches exclusively at the top or bottom might be used dependent upon the type of co-acting prongs I9 and 20 (Fig. 2) on the end of the broadly adjustable member I2 and later described. At the opposite end of the concentric rod I4 is a pin I6 for maintaining in position the subsequently described spring member I8 on the minutely adjustable spring tension member I3.

The broadly adjustable member I2 (Fig. 2) is at least a partially hollow tube having an outside diameter for slidable and rotatable insertion in the open end of the hollow cylindrical body portion II (Fig. 2) opposite the end Illa of the concentric rod I4. The inside diameter of the broadly adjustable member I2 is suilcient for slidable and rotatable movement over the notched end Ila of the concentric rod I4, previously mentioned. At the end of the broadly adjustable member I2 are the prongs I9 and 2U which are formed of such shape and with suilicient tension to enter the notches I5, I5a, I5b, I5c, I5d, and I5e when the broadly adjustable member I2 is rotatably and longitudinally moved over the notched end Ida. When the broadly adjustable member I2 is rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise 90 from the position in which the prongs I9 and 20 are in any set of opposed notches, such as I5a and I5d shown in Figure 2, the prongs I9 and 20 are forced out of the opposed notches I5a and I5d onto the outside surface portion of the notched end Ila and in which position the broadly adjustable member I2 may be moved longitudinally along the notched end I 4a until the substantially desired overall length of the curtain rod I is attained. Then, a rotary motion of some 90 again applied to the broadly adjustable member I2 will tend to force the prongs I3 and 20 into another set of opposed notches.

In the opposite end of the hollow cylindrical body portion I I is the minutely adjustable spring tension member I3 which may be in the form of a rod on the end of which the tip 2| (Fig. 3) is disposed and having an outside diameter sufficient to be slidable in the end of the hollow cylindrical body portion II. The coiled spring I8 is inserted between the tip I of the concentric rod I4 and the tip 2| of the minutely adjustable spring tension member I3 so that when the overall length of the rod I0 is slightly greater than the distance between two vertical members intended to support the curtain rod Ill, it will be held in place by the action of the spring I8.

In the free ends of both adjustable members I2 and I3 are the tips 22 and 23 which are formed of the vertical end members 22h and 23h integral with or otherwise attached to the perpendicular members 22a and 23a of suflicient diameter for insertion in the ends of the adjustable members I2 and I3. The tips 22 and 23 may be made of rubber and provide substantial gripping or friction surfaces for the curtain rod ID. While the curtain rod I0 could be used without the tips 22 and 23, the use of such devices has been found expedient where the upright supports for the curtain rod I0 are highly glazed masonry or the like.

The operation is as follows:

The adjustable curtain rod IU is held roughly and horizontally across the selected window in the hand to estimate the probable adjustment re quired for mounting the rod. Having determined, for example, that the required adjustment is greater than that provided for by the adjustable spring tension member I3, the broadly adjustable member I2 is rotated some 90 which releases the prongs I9 and 20 from the notches I5a and I5d (Fig. 2) making the member I2 slidable over the notched end I4a of the concentric rod Il. The broadly adjustable member I2 is then pulled out of the end of the hollow cylindrical body portion until the approximate width is attained and again rotated, clockwise or counterclockwise, which, probably with slightly more longitudinal adjustment, locks the prongs I9 and 20 into another set, such as I5 and I5e (Fig. 2), of opposed notches. The tip 22 is then placed roughly at the desired point of erection on one of the Vertical members, and the opposite end of the curtain rod I0 having the minutely adjustable spring tension member I3 rotated upwardly until the tip 23 is against the opposite vertical support under tension. Leveling is attained merely by pushing or pulling on one end of the curtain rod I0 while the curtain may be attached before or after the rod is erected.

It is apparent that the specific illustrations shown have been given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and that the structure above described is subject to a wide variation and modication without departing from the scope or intent of the invention, all of which variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

l. An adjustable curtain rod comprising a hollow cylindrical body portion, a concentric rod of subctantially shorter length inserted in the hollow cylindrical body portion and adapted to leave a space at both ends, at least one end of the concentric rod having a substantially smaller diameter than the inside diameter of the hollow cylindrical body portion, at least one notch formed on the outside surface portion of the end of the concentric rod having the smaller diameter; the adjustable curtain rod further comprising a substantially hollow tubular member with an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the notched end of the concentric rod and adapted for insertion in the end of the hollow cylindrical body portion, at least one prong on the end of the hollow tubular member and adapted to engage the notch when the tubular member is rotated about and moved longitudinally along the notched end of the concentric rod.

2. An adjustable curtain rod comprising a hollow cylindrical body portion, a concentric rod disposed within the hollow cylindrical body portion and adapted to leave a space between the ends of the concentric rod and the ends of the hollow cylindrical body portion, a tip disposed on one end of the concentric rod, the opposite end of the concentric rod having a substantially smaller diameter than the inside diameter of the hollow cylindrical body portion, a plurality of spaced opposed notches formed on the outside surface portion of the end of the concentric rod of smaller diameter; the adjustable curtain rod further comprising a substantially hollow tubular member slidably and rotatably disposed in one end of the hollow body portion and over the end of the concentric rod of smaller diameter, at least one prong on the hollow tubular member co-acting with the opposed notches and adapted to engage the same under compression as the hollow tubular member is rotated and moved longitudinally over the end of the concentric rod of smaller diameter; the adjustable curtain rod further comprising a coiled spring disposed in adjustable member and minutely adjustable i0 spring compression member in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal center lines thereof.

RALPH BLAKE.

REFERENCES CITEDZ The following references are of record in the leof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '593,355 Harris Nov. 9, 1897 645,543 Birch Mar. 20, 1900 768,452 Hennessy Aug. 23, 1904 u,833,557 Snyder et al Oct. 16, 1906 1,548,053 Mead Aug. 4, 1925 1,868,439 Zelinski July 19, 1932 2,032,842 Gould Mar. 3, 1936 2,376,716 Odin May 22, 1945 

